How to Clean a Refrigerator Drain Pan

Hunker Editor

How to Clean a Refrigerator Drain Pan. A much neglected part of everyone's refrigerator is the drain pan. Most people don't even know that it exists. Located at the bottom of most modern refrigerators the drain pan collects all of the excess dirt and liquid materials that are sloughed off from the self-defrosting cycle. If the thought of bacteria growing under your refrigerator bothers you, here's how to clean your refrigerator's drain pan.

Step 1

Unplug the refrigerator from the source of electricity to avoid shock.

Step 2

Locate your refrigerator's drain pan. It's usually located underneath the refrigerator. You might have to remove the decorative protective to access it. If you don't know where it is, review your refrigerator manual.

Step 3

Put on rubber gloves to remove the drain pan. Be careful. Depending on how dirty it is and the consistency of the food material, it might splash.

Step 4

Wash the loose debris from the drain pan. By removing the initial loose dirt and liquid, you can access the encrusted debris.

Step 5

Use your scrubbing brush or scrubbing sponge to remove the encrusted dirt. Rinse frequently and repeat until the drain pan is clean.